What was your first new Pentax Camera?
Best of Pentax Forums Newsletter February 19, 2026
What was your first new Pentax?
There’s a bit of a stereotype that the average Pentaxian was born in 1897 and alternates between yelling Hey you kids! Get off my lawn! And yelling Pentax is DOOOOOMED!!! So I found interesting Loyal Site Supporter Sebrof’s suggestion that we look at forum demographics. Adam is looking into whether we can pull demographics from the system.
Meanwhile, I thought it would be interesting to find out everyone’s first new Pentax camera. Mine was an ME Super; what was yours? Vote in this week’s poll, and let us know your thoughts in the comments!
Elsewhere this week, Loyal Site Supporter BertieK has added a GR IV Monochrome to her two K-3 III Monochromes; New Member carl0 takes a look at the Takumar 28mm F2.8 Bayonet; and New Member elcrying reviews the PORST Macro Weitwinkel f2,8 35mm MC auto.
If you’ve been forwarded this newsletter, please take a moment to join the almost 1,600 Pentaxians who have subscribed to our free curated compendium of the hundreds of great images and post shared each week in our Pentax community. Please let us know your thoughts here in the comments and on our Pentax Forums, and have a perfect Pentaxian week!
Threads of the Week:
GRIV Monochrome - Photos from Owners
February 12, 2026 • Ricoh GR IV Monochrome • 10 replies • 141 views
BertieK said — Read more »
New exhibition - American Photography
February 11, 2026 • Travel, Events, and Groups • 1 replies • 145 views
Sebrof said — The wonderful Victoria & Albert Museum in London is currently host to an exhibition called American Photographs. It continues until May next year. It is being promoted by a photograph of a camera that many of us own and/or admire. Read more »
Airport X-Rays and Film Abuse... and sometimes we get lucky...
February 14, 2026 • Film Processing, Scanning, and Darkroom • 8 replies • 225 views
TwoUptons said — I have traveled a good deal lately with film cameras, and I nearly always get super nervous about film and X-ray machines. I just got back from a trip where I realized about halfway through, that I had basically done the worst possible thing I could have done in terms of caring for my film... outside of checking it in my main bag. Read more »
Pentaxian User Reviews
Pentax Lenses
Takumar 28mm F2.8 Bayonet
Reviewed by New Member carl0
Review Date: February 11, 2026 Recommended | Price: $30.00 | Rating: 8
Pros: Image quality, bokeh, inexpensive, well-built, small
Cons: Simple coating (no SMC), full manual
Sharpness: 9 Aberrations: 7 Bokeh: 8 Handling: 9 Value: 9 Camera Used: Pentax K-01
My copy arrived with a UV filter, a rubber lens hood, and a case. It’s very well built — I was afraid it might feel cheap, but it doesn’t. Mine doesn’t have the stiff aperture ring issue; it works smoothly. Sharpness is good, and I like the colors and contrast. It’s not an auto lens, so it’s fully manual, but I don’t mind — it suits my shooting style perfectly. On APS-C it’s equivalent to a 42mm, which is a very useful focal length in my opinion. For the price I paid, I would recommend it to anyone who wants to try vintage lenses without spending much. I haven’t tested its flare resistance yet.
Third-Party Pentax Lenses
PORST Macro Weitwinkel f2,8 35mm MC auto
Reviewed by New Member elcrying
Review Date: February 11, 2026 Recommended | Price: None indicated | Rating: 9
Pros: Extremely sharp center, close-focus capability, unique rendering character, solid all-metal build, smooth and precise manual focus
Cons: Soft corners, field curvature
Sharpness: 9 Aberrations: 7 Bokeh: 7 Handling: 10 Value: 10 Camera Used: sony A7 ii
I tested this lens on a variety of everyday scenes to evaluate its rendering and optical behavior, and it turned out to be far more impressive than expected from an older 35mm wide-angle. The biggest surprise is the center sharpness. In the middle of the frame it is extremely sharp — honestly, I couldn’t want more from any lens I own. Subjects stand out clearly even wide open, especially at closer distances. Corners are softer, but in real images this often adds to the overall look rather than hurting it.
At f/2.8 the lens can produce surprisingly shallow depth of field for a 35mm, especially when focusing close. Backgrounds don’t blur in a modern creamy way — instead they have structure and motion, which gives photos a more organic, almost film-like rendering. In busy scenes there’s a subtle swirl-like feel toward the edges. The bokeh is not smooth in a modern sense, but it is very characteristic and interesting.
Stopping down improves contrast and brings the frame together more evenly, making it usable as a general wide-angle as well.
The close-focus capability is a major strength. Being able to get near subjects while still keeping a wide perspective allows strong subject separation and a good sense of depth in the frame.
Build quality is solid, and handling is excellent. The lens is relatively light, the focus ring is smooth with a nicely damped long throw, and precise manual focusing is easy and enjoyable.
Weaknesses are typical for older wide lenses: softer edges, some field curvature, and backgrounds that can become busy. It’s not a clinically perfect lens — but that’s not its purpose.
Overall, this is a creative wide-angle with outstanding center sharpness, strong character, and excellent close-up usability. My copy is in M42 mount and marked “Made in W. Germany.”
All sample photos were taken wide open at f/2.8 to show the lens’s rendering at maximum aperture. The only exception is the second close-up shot of the dry grass, which was taken stopped down (approximately f/5.6–f/8, cant remember exact value).
Pentax Cameras
Pentax MX-1
Reviewed by Senior Member woody54
Review Date: February 16, 2026 Recommended | Price: $400.00 | Rating: 9
Pros: Image quality, Control interface and Portability Cons: Cost
New or Used: Used
Recent purchase after exploring other manufacturers products, decided to return to my original brand Pentax. Not expansively, as I’m wishing to rationalize my hobby. Just the MX-1. Travel photography is one of my photographic passions and portability is a prime consideration so larger models and multiple exchangeable lenses are not getting a vote. The brief opportunity I’ve had testing so far, has produced useful images thru macro-closeup, architectural-street, people and landscape. With high demand vs limited supply prices now are exorbitant. Some offerings have lens retraction issues fingers crossed mine remains OK. The identical lens unit has been used by other manufacturers, Olympus XZ-1, XZ-2 and Casio EX-10. Curious given the critical plaudits who actually manufactured it.
Comment of the Week:
Site Supporter mikesbike on How many systems do you use regularly? The Best of Pentax Forums February 12 Poll: For the last 50 years or so I have been using Pentax SLR/DSLR equipment only. I have a flip phone and do not care to get a "smart" phone. I currently use two Pentax systems- APS-C and the K-1 II FF and have many lenses for each system. For longer tele use and when needing extra-compact carrying, it's APS-C, (K20D, K-5 IIs, K-S2, KP) otherwise it is FF.
Lately, since I don't have a good phone for spontaneous snap shots, I have been considering the WG-8. But I could wish it had SR, since it features quite a substantial zoom lens. And no doubt it then takes jittery video.
If I were into fast-action shooting using burst shooting with fast frame rates, etc. I would consider also having a 2nd system. Maybe a Nikon Z camera. For that kind of thing, I would favor APS-C due to the lenses being smaller, and easier handling. But- I rarely have such need, and have mastered success with the equipment I have when the need arises, so it makes no sense to spend a lot of money for a second system just for that. In fact, I did not even bother getting the K-3 III, nor any PLM lens, because of the same reasoning.
What was your first new Pentax?
The Best of Pentax Forums February 19 Poll
There’s a bit of a stereotype that the average Pentaxian was born in 1897 and alternates between yelling Hey you kids! Get off my lawn! And yelling Pentax is DOOOOOMED!!! So I found interesting Loyal Site Supporter Sebrof’s suggestion that we look at forum demographics. Adam is looking into whether we can pull demographics from the system.
Meanwhile, I thought it would be interesting to find out everyone’s first new Pentax camera. Mine was an ME Super; my newspaper editor had been letting me borrow his ME, and I wanted one of my own. But when I got to the camera store they showed me the ME Super, and I brought that one home. Still have it.
So what was yours? Vote in this week’s poll, and let us know your thoughts in the comments!
This poll closes February 25.
Oh, and Hey you kids! Get that moose off my lawn before I poke all of you with my Pentax Pointed Stick!!!
And here are the results of last week’s poll:
Weekly Photo Challenges
Project 52-14-7: Doors & Portals, until 2-22 (Sunday)
Doors & Portals
Every door tells its own Story.
Post your best shot, but most of all, have fun!
I'm looking forward to seeing many old and new participants in Project 52 and waiting for Inspiring use of filters.
And here is the entry from Site Supporter ramseybuckeye: I didn't think I would find a portal so I went out and took this, KP, HD DA15, F8, 4 sec, ISO 100, converted to B&W
A Walk Down Memory Lane
Nathan Moro - Sixth Sense Photography
Experienced amateur, new professional
By PF Staff in Pentaxian Profiles on Apr 4, 2011
Welcome to our second Pentaxian profile! We hope you enjoy reading about Nathan Moro, an enthusiastic new Pentax professional photographer. Alongside the text, we’ve included some sample photos for your enjoyment!
Going pro. Well not ‘going pro’, I went pro!
Everything is happening much faster than anticipated, Three weeks ago we did our first wedding. Two weeks ago I registered a business, A week later the 2nd wedding, it’s with this wedding that begins my first interesting anecdote and the subject of this post...
PentaxForum Front page stories Feb 12-19:
The Making of “Light”
How the winning photo of the “Capturing the Bauty of Illumination” contest was made
By markduq in Photo Contests on Feb 14, 2026
Hello Friends! My first camera was a used Pentax Spotmatic with a black body. I bought it when I was in Vietnam. That was 1968. These were the days of screw mounts. I had a 50 mm lens. A year later, I added an architectural 35 mm lens and a telephoto lens. Also a doctor gave me a Rolleiflex with 110 mm portrait lens.
January “Best of 2025” Contest Finalists Announced
Vote for the overall winner!
By PF Staff in Photo Contests on Feb 15, 2026
After the end of the nomination phase of last month’s official Best of 2025 photo contest, we’re now ready to announce our top 15 finalists! Click on the link below to view the photos in full size and cast your vote in the poll: Vote for your favorite photo in the poll
Pentax eBook Sale: February 2026
Save $5 on all PDF Pentax eBooks
By PF Staff in Deals and Savings on Feb 16, 2026
Master your Pentax with one of our comprehensive eBook guides—until the end of February 2026, use coupon code PDF-EBOOK-5 to save $5 on any PDF eBook. Unlimited use!
Get expert tips on mastering your Pentax camera
Instant access after purchase—no waiting!
Covers most Pentax DSLR models, including the K-3 III and K-1 II.
Be sure to enter the coupon code at the bottom of the page first, then select your camera model. Shop the Pentax eBook Sale Now
See also: our new paperback edition of the K-3 III ultimate guide.
Ricoh GR IV Review Posted
The latest high-performance pocketable camera
By bdery in Review Announcements on Feb 18, 2026
After weeks of testing, we’re proud to present our review of the Ricoh GR IV compact camera!
Following in the footsteps of the GR III from 2019, the GR IV boasts a 26 MP APS-C sensor, a 28mm f/2.8 fixed lens, a 3-inch touchscreen, a metal body, and 5-axis shake reduction — all in a compact form factor that fits easily in your pocket.
The GR line has a strong following, and the GR IV ranks among the top-selling cameras in several markets (Japan in particular). Still, in some ways, it feels similar to its GR III predecessor. Under the hood, however, many things have been improved.
The camera market has evolved in recent years with the resurgence of film photography and a growing interest in more convenient alternatives to DSLRs. The GR IV makes a lot of sense in that context. But does it live up to expectations? With a relatively high price tag and the success of the previous GR III, the GR IV has big shoes to fill. Read our review to find out what we thought of the Ricoh GR IV!
K1000!